That was no problem for Cooks, who answered every question, including one from fellow receiver Robert Meachem, who pulled up a stool and grabbed a microphone to join the scrum.

Cooks has been the main attraction during the final week of OTAs. It's the first time he's been able to get on the field since rookie mini-camp due to NCAA rules prohibiting players at schools with the quarter system to practice until finals are over.

Cooks doesn't like the rule, but he understands there's not much that can be done about it.

"I don't think it's fair, but it's one of those things where you have to abide by the system," he said.

Cooks didn't look too out of sorts Thursday, the only practice open to the media this week. The Saints placed him in a number of positions, including out wide and in the slot, while also putting him back as a punt returner with Kenny Stills and Travaris Cadet.

During one drill, Cooks streaked down the sideline with cornerback Keenan Lewis in pursuit, easily staying a few yards ahead of him for a would-be touchdown.

"I didn't even see when he got the ball on that handoff," said linebacker Junior Galette. "I haven't seen that kind of speed in a while. Just moving around, he can get into that last gear quick. His speed is obviously top tier in the league."

Added safety Kenny Vaccaro: "I went against him in college, so I already knew he was really fast."

But the team wasn't asking Cooks to learn everything all at once. He was pulled off to the side several times to work on specific routes as the rest of the team continued to run drills.

He also spent several minutes after practice with quarterback Drew Brees to get in some extra work.

"What you try to do for a young player is give him certain elements so it is not keeping the progress of the overall offense back, but you try to begin to see how much they are able to retain and continue to build on that," Payton said.

The team is giving their first round draft pick a lot to learn. But he's learning fast. The first time he walked in the locker room and saw Brees, he wasn't quite sure how to approach him.

"I just saw Drew in a corner, and I didn't know whether to go up to him and shake his hand or wait for meetings," Cooks said.

That hesitation is long gone.

"You are a grown man, so you have to go to work," he said.

Brees and Cooks will spend a lot of time together in the coming weeks. Cooks plans to fly to San Diego to work one-on-one with him and get up to speed.

There's no doubt Cooks, who the Saints traded up for in the draft, has high expectations placed on his shoulders. He often draws comparisons to former Saints running back Darren Sproles, which he understands but also wants to temper a bit. He pointed out that while their speed is comparable, the 5-foot-6 Sproles did many things that are hard to replicate.

"Everybody has that comparison. Fair, I don't know. He did a lot for this offense," Cooks said. "As a rookie it's time for me to prove myself. As far as the speed you can compare me to him, but as far as some of the things he did, we'll have to wait on that."

Sproles carried the ball often, which is something Cooks, a wide receiver, would probably only do in certain situations.

"He would be a candidate if we were running a reverse or behind or a special play," Payton said. "He is someone certainly, with his speed that would be one of the guys we would look to do that with. We have a couple that we have done it with."

The Saints have been doing everything they can to bring Cooks along despite the limitations placed on him by the NCAA. Every morning and night, he'd review film on a tablet. He'd squeeze in time to catch passes from his old teammates while finishing up his classes.

But with finals behind him, Cooks said finally getting to focus exclusively on football has been fun.

Cooks said he likes to model himself after Steve Smith, the former Carolina Panthers receiver now with the Baltimore Ravens.

"Definitely growing up and coming out of college, I loved Steve Smith's game -- the way he's physical, how diverse he is, the way he is able to run routes and he plays with that chip on his shoulder," Cooks said. "I feel like that's what I'm trying to do."

But while Smith is known for his fiery temper, Cooks is more soft spoken.

"He's real mature," Vaccaro said. "You can tell he's not one of those rookies who is going to go off in the wrong direction. He's ready."

By now, Cooks is used to multitasking. He isn't required to be in school anymore, but he still plans to finish out his classes and get his degree through online courses.

He has 15 hours left toward his degree, and figures he'll be finished by winter.

"I will be the first one in my family to get a degree," he said. "I promised my mom I'll make sure I get that degree as soon as I can."

Until then, he'll continue doing double time to pick up his football knowledge too.

"I think like any young player, you are quickly giving them as much information as you can and he is handling it well," Payton said. "Overall he has really picked things up really quickly."